


Priorities and Indulgences

by clockwork_spider



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Bittersweet, Fluff, M/M, Open Relationships, Post-Canon, S80 premise, amusement park date
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-30 10:08:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5159792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clockwork_spider/pseuds/clockwork_spider
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Byakuran and Yamamoto are friends with benefits, most of these benefits being impromptu dates, cuddling, and public display of affection.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Priorities and Indulgences

"You look more cheerful than usual, Takeshi," Kurokawa notes, eyebrow raised. 

"Huh? Oh, I have a date when I get to Italy," you chime, still smiling at your text. You reply with the emoticon of a rabbit skipping across a field of flowers. 

"Ooh..." Haru coos, leaning in conspiraciously, "Who's the lucky lady? ...Or is it a gentleman?" 

"Why don't you take a guess? It's someone you all know." It's not everyday that you get to conduct the Vongola gossip train, this could be amusing.

"It's not the shark, is it?" Hayato walks pass, coffee in hand, grimacing at the thought with disapproval. This is normal. Hayato disapproves of most things.

"Nope. He does have white hair though."

"What? No! Stop looking at me! We're not dating. Besides, I'm right here!" Gokudera scowls, and you think he's being a bit dramatic. Gokudera's always too dramatic. You like that about him. 

"The only other person we know that have white hair is..." Kurokawa felt her eye twitch, "Uh... Well it's not my husband."

"What about Byakuran-kun?" Kyoko suggests, helpfully. The room freezes. 

_Bingo._ You wink at Kyoko, pick up your files (negotiation with the Monroe family) and head towards the door. 

"Oh look, time for me to go, got a plane to catch!" You wave, enjoying Hayato's mortified face as you pass by. 

* * *

You're at an amusement park. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and Byakuran greets you with a hug and air kisses. The helium balloons in his hands bops against your head gently as you hug him back. 

"Long time no see, Takeshi! How's Tsunayoshi-kun and the team?" He laces his fingers around yours, they're a bit cold, but comfortably so. 

"They're doing well. Tsuna says hi." You hold onto his hand, without squeezing or pulling back. Byakuran's hands are steady, calm, detached. 

You ask about Uni and Gamma, and is glad to hear they're doing well also. You watch as he launch into an animated storytelling session, and answer with stories of your own little Family. 

"Have you gotten to visit Squalo, by the way?" He asks, with innocent curiosity. You smile, the fond little half-smile Byakuran curiously dubbed as being reserved for mentions of Squalo. 

"Yeah, he's the same old. Angry, mostly. Busy. Occupied."

* * *

One track mind, like a fish. That's how you would describe someone like Squalo. 

_Choose._ He'd tell you. _Baseball or sword?_ And you'd laugh, because you don't have to give up either of them. The two are both important, and not mutually exclusive. You're a person who compartmentalize. Family will always take priority, but it doesn't mean you have to give up every other good thing in life. You can't explain that to Squalo. He's not like that. 

To Squalo, baseball and sword **are** mutually exclusive. To the assassin, everything is either a priority or a distraction. Xanxus is a priority, Varia is a priority, the sword is a priority. All his priorities fits neatly together, leaving no room for distractions. 

You understand, Gokudera's like that too. That singular devotion is what you like about them. 

Squalo lives in a world of priorities and distractions, and you live in a world of priorities and indulgences.

So when Squalo told you, in plain words, that you've became a distraction, you understood. 

* * *

You're at the game booth, carrying a giant dog plushie which Byakuran had just won. Byakuran's luck, as always, is infallible. "It looks like Jirou!" He had claimed, pushing the plushie into your arms. 

"How's Shouichi doing?" He asks, with a little bounce in his steps. 

"He's doing well, keeping himself busy with research. He still haven't finish reading your research paper," Byakuran and Irie are collaborating on a project for clean energy. _'Saving the world,'_ as Byakuran likes to put it. You think it's nice. 

"Oh, he told me to give these to you," you fished out two photos, one with white lilies and one with daffodils. Flower language, you noticed a while back, is their special method of communication.

"What does it mean?" You ask, seeing the surprised delight on Byakuran's face. He look like a kid who's just opened his birthday present. 

"I'll tell you later," he pockets the photos and smirks with a hint of conspiracy. It's terribly endearing. 

* * *

_ "Pine branches with delphinium, everlasting youth, possibilities. Hyacinth, playfulness." The technician comments on the white bouquets on your desk.  _

_ You stare at Irie Shouichi like he's a wizard. Irie knows everything, somehow. _

_"I didn't think you'd be the type to read flowers." Moreover, you didn't know flowers have so many meanings. You know roses meant love and chrysanthemum and white lilies are for funerals, but that was as far as your flower knowledge went. _

_ "It's this from Byakuran-san?" There's puzzlement in his voice as he stares at you oddly.  _

_ "Ah, yes?" _

_ "For someone working on world domination, Byakuran was, surprisingly, a romantic. Flower language was one of his common modes of communication in the future," he explains.  _

_ "Oh? You guys were-"  _ Ouch. __

_ "Don't get the wrong idea," Irie corrects, a beat too fast, "we weren't like that."  _

_ "It didn't mean all that much to him," he smiles wryly, it looks more like a grimace, "it was just an indulgence."  _

_ You nods and returns a sympathetic smile. You don't tell him, to some people, indulgences can mean the world. _

_ "Be careful," he warns. He doesn't stop you, or tries to meddle.  _

_ "I will," you nods appreciatively. Irie is a good friend.  _

_ "Hey, if he ever send you a room full of anemone, it's probably time to break up." _

_ "Oh yeah? What does that one mean?" _

_ "Expectations," Irie chuckles, looking more sagely than you've ever seen him.  _

* * *

You walk out of the haunted house, holding Byakuran close as he clings onto you and plushie Jirou with more glee than terror. You both screamed at all the right places, admiring the amount of work that's been put into the exhibition. 

“Would you lovebirds like your photos?” The ghoul offers you a print-out of your reaction, caught in a moment of surprise, no doubt. You studies the mild surprise on your own face, and the manic glee on Byakuran’s. 

Byakuran buys a copy for himself. He’s rather fond of photos, they keeps his memories in check. 

* * *

You really wouldn't call yourselves lovers. Truth be told, you have very little common language with one another. But that's not to say you don't enjoy one another's company. Quite the contrary, Byakuran displays a keen interest in everyone, and you, like most people, enjoys his magnetic personality. 

You've visited the aquarium once. Byakuran named all the curious sea critters as he pointed them out for you, describing each of their interesting quirks and habits. You don't particularly care for fish aside from their taste, but Byakuran have always been quite a good talker. You let yourself immerse in his musical voice and enthusiasm as you watched the sharks swam lazily by. The dim refracted light from the water played some magic trick on his features. 

You've been to ball games together, you both cheered with the crowds and you would amuse him with tidbits of baseball trivia to keep him engaged. 

Other times, the two of you snuggled in blankets at his apartment, marathoning b-movies through the night. He'd make you hot chocolate. Sometimes you'd fall asleep, sometimes you'd end up having sex on the sofa, whilst the the movie continues to play in the background. 

Sometimes you talk about Squalo. Sometimes he talks about his other partners. It's always so **easy** when you're with one another. There's no pressure to chose, to give up what you are. You've grown accustomed to affection without expectations. 

"This Byakuran felt... Refreshing," you've explained to Gokudera once, he didn't understand. 

Byakuran lives in a world of indulgences. You can understand that too.

* * *

The little boy stares longingly at the cotton candy stand, then turns his pleading eyes to his parents. The mother, unaffected by her son's antics, ushers the child away with a stern "no." 

"Something the matter, Takeshi?” 

"No," you chuckle, attention drifting back to your date, "I was just thinking, if I were his parents, I'd buy it for him. The amusement park is not an everyday experience, after all." 

"Then you should buy me cotton candy. To fulfil that little need in your heart," your date offers benevolently. It's a good idea, you decides, and did exactly that. 

"Must be nice, settling down," you muses, "when I was small, I use to wonder what it's like. Having a family, raising a child of my own with a special someone." 

You pause, and chuckle softly, "I still think about it sometimes," though you can't imagine it with Byakuran after all. 

He listens to you with that little knowing smile of his. The one that means he understands, but also don't. You're okay with that. You think he picked it up from Yuni, or maybe it's just a Sky type attribute. 

"Don't be ridiculous," Byakuran laughs as he spoke, light and soft, as he strokes your hair and smothers you with kisses. He taste like cotton candy. Sweet and indulgent. 

_ Fin. _

* * *

 

** Extra **

The Ferris wheel compartment climbs higher and higher. From here, Prague looks clean, tidy, beautiful. You marvel at the historical buildings in the soft glow of the evening sun. It covers up the messy stains in the dark alleyways. 

"Neh, Takeshi, do you know what day is it today?"

You pause to think about this, It's not your birthday, nor is it his. Well, it could some niche little holiday somewhere in the world. Byakuran is known to observe various international holidays, like international cat day, or pie day.

You shrug. If you’ve forgotten something, he wouldn't take offence. 

"It's the day Tsuna defeated me in the other future,” he says, eyes looking outwards to the world. The sunset paints his face in a soft orange.  

"Hard to believe, eh? It's been 10 years,” you laugh to alleviate the pressure, and let him continue. 

"I'm happy. Both me and Uni-chan are still alive. Tsunayoshi-kun too,” a small, hesitant smile blooms on his face, “we’ve made it."

You remember that day, almost ten years ago, when you met this Byakuran for the first time, on the hospital bed, aching, desperate. You’re happy too. 

"White lilies, for funeral. Daffodil, rebirth,” he explains, your eyes meets. 

Your compartment reaches it’s peak, and begins it’s decent to earth. 

"Happy re-birthday, Byakuran. Congratulations,” you say. This happiness is an indulgence. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Hope you've enjoyed. 
> 
> I have the mental image that Byakuran isn't very heavily involved in the Mafia stuff in this future, which likely comes as a relieve to everyone. 
> 
> Comments are always welcome.


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